ROILO GOLEZ, Philippine National Security Adviser (2001-2004). The world and the Philippines as Roilo Golez sees it. With focus on national security, geopolitics, geo-security, economics, science and government.

Sunday, May 21, 2017

Alien life to be discovered NEXT YEAR? James Webb Telescope ‘will change world forever'. Express.co

Alien life to be discovered NEXT YEAR? James Webb Telescope ‘will change world forever'

ALIEN life could be discovered as early as next year with NASA’s most advanced telescope ever set to launch.

13:01, Sat, May 20, 2017| UPDATED: 16:38, Sat, May 20, 2017

161

26

James Webb Space Telescope Progresses Toward Launch

Mute

Current Time1:34

/

Duration Time3:33

Loaded: 0%

Progress: 0%

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is scheduled to take off next year and astronomers believe the super-powerful spier is experts' best hope to date of finding life beyond Earth.

The JWST is the successor to the Hubble Telescope and is much more powerful.

The successor will be able to see further into space, as well as more accurately measure the content of water, carbon dioxide and other components in the atmosphere of an exoplanet – a planet outside of our solar system – as well as tell scientists more about the size and distance these planets are from their host stars.

As a result, the giant telescope which sports a huge mirror to garner light, is being heralded as the best chance of finding alien life.

RELATED ARTICLES

GETTY

The James Webb telescope will help to find alien life

With a launch scheduled for next year, scientists feel that it is only a matter of time before alien life is discovered.

Matt Mountain, director and Webb telescope scientist at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, said: ”What we didn't know five years ago is that perhaps 10 to 20 per cent of stars around us have Earth-size planets in the habitable zone.

GETTY

Construction of the James Webb Space Telescope

"It's within our grasp to pull off a discovery that will change the world forever.

“It is going to take a continuing partnership between NASA, science, technology, the US and international space endeavours, as exemplified by the James Webb Space Telescope, to build the next bridge to humanity's future.”

GETTY

The JWST will get a closer look at the TRAPPIST-1 system

Amazing Hubble Space Images

Mon, March 27, 2017

These stunning images from the Hubble Space Telescope are taken from the April 2015 issue of National Geographic Magazine.

AFP/GETTY IMAGES

1 of 15

Bubble Nebula, also known as NGC 7653, which is an emission nebula located 11 000 light-years away

Mr Mountain added: "Just imagine the moment, when we find potential signatures of life.

“Imagine the moment when the world wakes up and the human race realises that its long loneliness in time and space may be over - the possibility we're no longer alone in the universe.”

GETTY

The JWST will replace Hubble

However, the £6billion telescope is expected to last just five years, so its underling, Hubble, is already shortlisting planets for the newcomer to examine as scientists face a race against time, Kevin Stevenson at the University of Chicago told New Scientist.